Parliament passed the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 with Lok Sabha giving assent to it . The Rajya Sabha had passed the Bill already in August 2023 during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Key points
- The bill seeks to amend the Advocates Act, 1961. The amendment bill has made the act of ‘Tout’ punishable and repealed certain provisions of the Legal Practitione.
- The legislation repeals certain sections related to touts under the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879.
- It provides that every High Court, district judge, sessions judge, district magistrate, and revenue officer not below the rank of a district collector, can frame and publish lists of touts.
- Tout refers to a person who either proposes to procure or procures the employment of a legal practitioner in a legal business in return for any payment.
- Under the legislation, the Court or judge may exclude from the premises of the Court any person whose name is included in the list of touts.
